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The Alabama Crimson Tide are no strangers to landing superstar five-star recruits out of high school.
The Tide have inked the No. 1 class in the country five times since 2015 and have hauled in dozens of five-star recruits along the way.
But those five-star recruits don’t always work out, even if they’re the top overall recruit in the country.
Enter Antonio Alfano. Alfano was the top recruit in the nation in 2019 according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive end attended three different high schools before settling at Colonia where he shot up the recruiting rankings.
But Alfano never played a game for the Crimson Tide.
He left the program shortly into his freshman year while while dealing with the health issues and eventual passing of his grandmother.
From there, Alfano transferred to the Colorado Buffaloes under then coach Mel Tucker. Tucker left for Michigan State shortly thereafter. New head coach Karl Dorrell then suspended and reinstated Alfano prior to him ever playing.
Alfano later left the Colorado program after suffering epileptic seizures that kept him from playing and later getting arrest.
He released a heartfelt statement about the struggles his epilepsy caused and how he believed the Colorado athletic department dismissed his medical issues.
After leaving the program, Alfano popped up at Independence Community College in Kansas, but yet again he never saw the field before leaving the school.
Now it appears he giving it one last go.
Former No. 1 Overall Recruit Antonio Alfano Joins New Junior College Team
Brian Dohn of 247Sports reports that Alfano is now a member of Lackawanna College football team in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The Falcons are one of the country’s top programs and have produced recent NFL stars such as Jaquan Brisker of the Chicago Bears and Kyzir White of the Philadelphia Eagles.
“He has a good attitude going through workouts and he’s a heckuva an athlete,” Lackawanna coach Mark Duda told 247Sports. “We are trying to help him fulfill his goals. I’m looking forward to coaching him.”
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“I also coach the defensive line so I am looking forward to coaching him,” Duda said. “He has been good.”
Alfano turned 22 in November. Due to COVID and redshirt rules, he should have two remaining years of NCAA eligibility.